


she’s in Good Hands

by GracefullyEmmaginative



Series: So She Did Series [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Continuation, Female Peter Parker, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, Iron Dad, NOT STARKER - Freeform, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Penny Parker - Freeform, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Protective Sam Wilson, Protective Steve Rogers, Recovery, Seizures, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23367673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GracefullyEmmaginative/pseuds/GracefullyEmmaginative
Summary: When Richard and Mary Parker died, May and Ben became Penny’s new normal, jumping into parenthood without an ounce of hesitation, putting their own lives on hold in order to be whatever their niece needed them to be.When she was bitten by a radioactive spider at the age of thirteen, Spider-Woman became her new normal.  Jumping from buildings, stopping muggings and grand-theft-bicycles became her average Tuesday night, and she learned how to balance being a superhero and an average school nerd without much trouble.When her Uncle Ben died in her arms on a random street corner in Queens, Penny learned that life was truly fragile, and that no matter how hard you tried, it could be ripped from your hands with one single act of violence.  Her life changed again.But still, she adapted, and after months of knowing nothing but grief and pain, she learned how to live a new life without him in it.Penny was used to change, she could adapt to any situation with time, learning from a young age to never get too comfortable with something in fear of it going away, but no matter how hard she tried, she didn’t think she could ever get used to this.
Relationships: Helen Cho & Peter Parker, James "Bucky" Barnes & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Peter Parker & Sam Wilson, Peter Parker & Steve Rogers, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: So She Did Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1680703
Comments: 38
Kudos: 299





	1. She’s in Good Hands

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! 
> 
> First of all: *THIS IS PART 2 OF THE SERIES. I RECOMMEND READING THE FIRST OART FIRST SO YOU ARE NOT CONFUSED* 
> 
> As per everyone’s request, I have decided to continue this work! This is the first chapter of the first work in the series. I’m going to dedicate a work to each major part of her recovery, as I really want to focus on each aspect and not rush things. 
> 
> I don't really have a set schedule, but hopefully I will be able to post something every week! Some works are only going to be one chapter, and some are going to be multiple. 
> 
> Stay tuned for updates!
> 
> Thanks so much for reading!
> 
> WARNING: SEIZURES, RECOVERY PROCESS, ANGST WITH LOTS OF COMFORT, SLIGHT MEDICAL TALK.

When Richard and Mary Parker died, May and Ben became Penny’s new normal, jumping into parenthood without an ounce of hesitation, putting their own lives on hold in order to be whatever their niece needed them to be. 

When she was bitten by a radioactive spider at the age of thirteen, Spider-Woman became her new normal. Jumping from buildings, stopping muggings and grand-theft-bicycles became her average Tuesday night, and she learned how to balance being a superhero and an average school nerd without much trouble. 

When her Uncle Ben died in her arms on a random street corner in Queens, Penny learned that life was truly fragile, and that no matter how hard you tried, or what you did, it could be ripped from your hands with one single act of violence. Her life changed again, into something foreign and cold and unrecognizable. 

But still, she adapted, and after months of knowing nothing but grief and pain, she learned how to a live a new life without him in it. 

See, Penny was used to change, she could adapt to any situation with time, learning from a young age to never get too comfortable with something in fear of it going away, but no matter how hard she tried, no matter how many times she told herself that it was going to be okay, she didn’t think she could ever get used to this. 

——

The ventilator was removed almost immediately after Penny’s awakening, followed quickly by the feeding tube in her stomach and catheter taped to her leg. The poor girl looked much more human now that all the equipment was gone, even with the bandages that covered more than half of her body, and even with her missing right arm.

“How are you feeling, Penny?” Tony watched as Helen closed in on the girl, checking her vitals and adjusting dosages for the second time that hour. Penny smiled, her one eye that was not wrapped completely in bandages clouded in pain, but she put on a brave exterior just like she always did. 

“Same as I was an hour ago, Doc.” 

She was elevated slightly in her bed so she could slowly sip on a smoothie through an extra long straw, courtesy of Sam. It became apparent that the teen was having trouble using her left hand, not only because of it being her non-dominant side, but because of the shakes that seemed to encapsulate it almost twenty-four-seven. The doctors were confident that the limb would settle with time, and that physical therapy would help strengthen it, so for now her meals consisted of smoothies and shakes, and the occasional soft food. 

Tony stood idly on the threshold of her hospital room, staying on the outskirts as to not smother the girl, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave. He found himself hovering just a little too close, but could you blame him? The girl had only been awake for a few days, only able to stay conscious for a couple of hours before the exhaustion and pain became too much. He wanted—no, needed— to stay close, at least for the time being. 

Penny turned her head as much as she could towards him, beckoning for her mentor to come closer with just a flick of her eyes, and he did without question. He gripped her hand, careful to avoid the needle sticking out of her skin, before taking a seat on the edge of her bed. He ran a hand through her tangled hair, slowly working out the knots. 

“Hi, Penny.” He said simply, smiling when she gave a soft snort. 

“Hi, Mr. Stark.” She nuzzled her head into his palm when he moved it down to cup her face, closing her eyes with a sigh. 

“How are you really feeling, sweetheart? You know you can’t lie to me.” Tony watched her closely, looking for any signs of an oncoming lie, but he found none. 

“I’m tired, even though I’ve been sleeping all day, and my side hurts I guess.” Tony hummed, continuing his quest in getting all the knots out of her hair, an idea hitting him suddenly.

“How about we get you some more pain meds then, huh?” He could tell the girl was hesitant to take him up on his offer, not liking the idea of relying so heavily on the medication, but he didn’t like to see her in so much pain, so he held his ground. “I know you don’t like them, Pen, but I’m not just going to let you sit here in pain when I can do something about it.” 

“They make me so tired, Mr. Stark; I don’t want to sleep anymore.” Her eyes were drooping shut even as she protested the idea, and the extra dose of meds would no doubt send her to sleep, but the girl needed to rest. 

“You need to rest to heal, honey. How about this—“ he reached over to her I.V pole and turned the knob to let another dose through, shushing her gently when she protested—“you were due for more pain meds anyway, so how about you take a nap for a little while, and then when you wake up, maybe we can invite everyone down here to watch a movie or something? Does that sound like fun?” The girl's eyes were already shut, a soft hum of agreement escaping her before she nodded off for good. Tony reached down and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead, “Sweet dreams, Penny.” 

——

Everyone was in the communal area when he arrived on the common floor, watching TV, or in Clint’s case, snoring into the couch cushions. Tony flicked the archer’s head on his way towards the kitchen, laughing at the disgruntled groan that escaped the man. Tony was head first in the refrigerator when his best friend joined him, searching for anything he could quickly eat before heading back downstairs. Rhodey was two steps ahead of him though, already pulling out the leftovers from lunch and fixing the man a heaping portion.

“How is she?” Rhodey asked quietly, spooning some rice onto a plate. He watched Tony’s eyes cut toward him before quickly flicking away, “That bad, huh?”

“She’s just stubborn, you know she’s stubborn,” Tony said, an almost irritated edge to his voice, “She doesn’t want the meds anymore because they make her tired, and she doesn’t want to sleep, but when she’s not on the meds, you can just see how much pain she's in. I made her take another dose and she conked out, but I’m sure I’ll receive my due scolding the minute she wakes up.”

“Did Cho say anything else about her situation?”

“Just that it was going to take a lot of getting used to. She’ll be in physical therapy for months.”

Rhodey chuckled dryly as he shoved the plateful of leftovers into the microwave and nuked it. “Yeah, I know a thing or two about how that goes; Maybe I can help her out when it comes time to start.” 

Rhodey watched his best friend closely, not only to make sure he was eating a proper meal, but to really see how the man was doing. Truth be told, Tony wore his heart on his sleeve, at least around those he felt one-hundred percent comfortable with, so it wasn’t hard to tell the man was struggling. 

“How are you doing with all this?” Tony’s eyes widened, as if he was shocked anybody would ask how he was coping.

“I’m fine; it’s Penny we have to worry about.” The man said before turning back to his meal, shoveling food into his mouth like it was going to be snatched out from under his fingertips. 

“Tony, I’ve known you for thirty-five years, man. You know you can’t lie to me—“ Rhodey leaned forward and put his hand palm up on the table, an open invitation that could be accepted or denied—“I can see that you're struggling, and that’s okay, Tones; I’d be even more worried if you weren’t. That’s your daughter downstairs, fighting for a semblance of her old life, I can see you frantically trying to put back all the pieces. You're trying your damn hardest to be what you need her to be, but you’re only human. Even you have your limits; you're bound to reach them eventually. I think it’s time for you to take a break.” Tony’s head shot up at that, making eye contact with the Colonel for the first time, looking aghast at what he was suggesting. 

“Are you saying that I should leave her?” Rhodey didn’t flinch, even as the younger man's voice grew in volume. 

“I’m saying that you have another daughter at home, and that you’ve been down in the hospital room for a week straight. Penny will understand if you need to go check in on Pepper and Morgan for a night. Besides, her aunt will be back in a couple of hours, and the whole team is here. She’s in good hands.” Rhodey could see the moment the man's anger and frustration turned into reluctance and possibly guilt, not wanting to leave Penny, but also missing his wife and daughter. He took the initiative and wrapped his arms tightly around Tony’s form, not giving him any room to deny the comfort he so desperately needed. Not that he did. 

Tony melted into Rhodey like a popsicle that’s been left out in the sun too long, drooping into his chest without a fight. They stood there for a long while, not saying anything because nothing needed to be said. The man needed no further convincing. 

“Okay.” 

——

“— and I’ll be back first thing in the morning, but if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call. Seriously kid, doesn't matter what time it is, you need me, you call, got it? I—“ Penny watched silently from her bed as her father figure paced the length of her hospital room, rationalizing, more to himself at this point, why he was going to go check in with Pepper and his daughter, even when Penny had agreed the minute he started rambling. 

“Mr. Stark.” The girl cut him off, something she normally wouldn’t do, but felt that this would go on for hours if she didn’t. She waited for Tony to turn his attention back to her before continuing, “Don’t take this the wrong way or anything, but I don’t want to see you back in this room for at least another three days.” 

Tony froze, eyes widening a fraction as he tried to comprehend what she just said, “What? Why?” Penny snorted, only succeeding in furthering his confusion. 

“Look at yourself, Mr. Stark! You’re going stir crazy! You need to get out of this room, this building better yet, and go see your family.” 

“You are my family.” Penny smiled, her eyes tearing over without her consent. The man said it with such finality, with no room for argument whatsoever, that Penny didn’t even try to argue. Not that she wanted to in the first place.

“I know I am, and you’re mine, but they need you too, more so than me right now.” Tony looked hurt for a second before he masked over his emotion into the neutral front that he was so used to projecting— “Tony, I’m always going to need you, but there’s nothing you can do right now. I’m still going to be here when you get back.” Penny reached out and gripped her father figure—no, just father’s— hand in her own, and smiled when he pressed a kiss to her temple, and then to her cheek, forehead and all over just to get her laughing. 

“Fine, but I’m sending someone down to sit with you.” If it made him feel better, then Penny wouldn’t protest the company, even when it made her feel like a child who couldn’t be left alone. 

“I love you, Dad.” Penny whispered, trying out the word for the first time, closing her eyes when the man didn’t immediately respond. It wasn’t till she was gathered up into a hug, tears falling on her shoulder that she knew it was okay. 

“I love you too, baby. So much.” 

——

Sam and Bucky came down to sit with Penny as soon as Tony left, cramming into the girl’s bed like a pack of sardines, the girl laughing at their antics. 

“I’m pretty sure Dr. Cho wouldn’t approve of this.” Penny snorted, but there was no actual heat behind her words. Sam was on her right, her head resting on his shoulder, while Bucky laid on her left, gripping her hand with his flesh one. She relaxed back, kicking into their warmth before focusing on the movie that was playing on the screen before them. 

“Are you comfortable?” Bucky asked, looking down at the girl at his side in slight worry. Penny gripped his hand tighter, a genuine smile chasing his concern away. 

“Very, are you?” Bucky nodded, turning on his side so he could slowly run his hand through the girl's hair, knowing that it brought her comfort. 

“Nowhere I'd rather be, doll.” 

They spent the remainder of the night like that, cuddled up to each other and watching terrible Rom-Coms, tears running down their faces from laughing too much. The only time the boys even got out of the bed was when Penny needed her bandages changed, or needed to use the bathroom, but they were back as soon as she was settled, this time bearing candy and large bowls of popcorn. 

“No movie night is truly complete without copious amounts of junk food.” Sam said, unwrapping a Twix bar and throwing it back whole. Bucky unwrapped another of the fun sized candies and presented it to Penny when he saw her side-eye the bag. She didn’t accept it at first, but after a minute she opened her mouth and let the man feed her the sweet. He could tell she was slightly embarrassed by the action, so he quickly unwrapped the other bar and shoved it into Sam’s mouth, laughing at the disgruntled choking sound that escaped his teammate. That had Penny in stitches, her own embarrassment forgotten as she watched the two heroes half heartedly swat at each other. 

“A little warning next time would be nice, thanks.” Sam griped, but he was smiling, just putting on a show for Penny’s sake. 

And it worked, the girl hadn’t felt this light and like her old self since before The Snap, and she was basking in the normality. 

“Thank you guys, for everything.” Her eyes were falling shut once again, the excitement of the night wearing her down. She didn’t miss the soft smiles she got from the heroes laying next to her though, or how their eyes misted over slightly. She only smiled, letting their whispers lull her back to sleep. 

“Of course, kid.” 

——

Everything was going well, all things considered. Tony stayed at his cabin with his wife and daughter, promising to stay away from the tower for the allotted three days, and only calling Penny to check in twice a day, which was a feat in and of itself. 

Penny was currently sitting with Steve by her bedside, playing a mindless game of chess when she started to feel sick. It was just a little bit of nausea that she figured was from consuming so much candy the night before, but it continued to grow. The look of distress must have been clear on her face, because Steve was suddenly moving the game board out of the way and slipping into her view. 

“Penny? What’s wrong?” The girl tried to answer, but she could only blink blankly at his face, unable to respond. She leaned back against her pillows and groaned, a wave of vertigo hitting her suddenly much like the nausea. Steve stood up from his chair and gently cradled the girl’s head in his hands. Her sudden downfall in health and awareness startling him. 

She was just beating him in a game of chess a few second ago, and now her eyes were rolling back into her head and she looked about ready to vomit. 

“Friday, call Cho and have her come down here now—“ The Captain gently started to tap the girl’s cheeks, trying to get her to focus on him— “Come on Penny, you’ve got to tell me what’s wrong, doll.” 

And that’s when her face started to twitch, her cheek muscles contracting in spreading intervals. Her eyelids fluttered uncontrollably, almost like she was rapidly blinking something away, but the girl was not conscious. 

“Penny—“ her body started to convulse, her limbs flailing uncontrollably, and Steve’s eyes widened in realization. 

“Friday, get Cho down here now!” Steve glanced down at his watch, and started to time the seizure. He wanted to move the girl to her side, but he was afraid to move her, so he settled on watching her breathing, and making sure she didn’t choke on anything. 

Cho arrived then, bursting into the large hospital and throwing on a white lab coat as she made her way over to the bed. “How long ago did the seizure start?” Penny was still shaking, her limbs seizing up and little grunts escaping her in fast intervals. 

“It’s been a little over a minute.” Steve started to run a hand through the girls hair in comfort, shushing her when her sporadic movements became more aggressive. 

“You’re okay, Penny. You’re alright.” Her face was scrunched up, and he couldn’t tell if it was from pain or if she had any control of her expression. 

“I’m going to administer an anticonvulsant; I don’t know how well it would work with her enhanced metabolism, but it’s all I’ve got for right now.” He watched carefully as Helen plunged the medicine into her I.V before turning back to the girl still shaking in her bed. 

The door was thrus open for a second time, Bucky and Sam rushing into the room, worry clouding their faces. Neither of them said a word, only standing on the sidelines in concern. Steve met their gazes grimly. 

“I think it’s slowing down.” That had all three men snapping their attention towards the doctor, before looking down at Penny. She was indeed coming to a slow standstill, the violent tremors that encapsulated her a moment before coming to an end like a bad earthquake. 

Steve slowly stood up to get out of the doctor’s way, making his way towards his teammates. 

“What happened?” Bucky whispered, eyes still refusing to look anywhere but at Penny. 

“I have no idea. One second, she was beating me at a game of chess, and the next she looked sick, her eyes rolling back as she started convulsing. It literally came out of nowhere.” 

“One of us should call Tony, tell him what happened.” Steve nodded, knowing the man would no doubt blame himself for not being here with his daughter. 

“I’ll do it.” Steve left the room with one last look at Penny, pulling out his phone as soon as he was out in the hallway. It rang twice before the man answered. 

“Hey Steve, what’s up?” Cap hesitated, not wanting to break the news of Penny’s sudden decline. “Steve, what’s wrong? Is it Penny?” 

“Tony, you should come back to the tower as soon as possible.” The man’s breath hitched from down the line, already spilling into a panic. 

“Tell me what happened, Steve, or so help me God, I will—“

“She had a seizure, Tony.” It was quiet for a moment, Steve allowing Tony the time he needed to process the shocking news. 

“She what?” There was shuffling on the other end, Tony no doubt scrambling into a suit and shooting off to get back to the compound as soon as possible. 

“It came out of nowhere Tony, I was playing a game of chess with her when she started feeling sick. She lost focus and started to convulse. It only lasted a few minutes, and Cho’s taking her back to do an MRI now, I think.” 

“Dammit, She was doing so well, and the second I leave—“ Steve cut off his friend before he could spiral into a guilt induced panic. 

“It was not your fault, Tony. There were no signs, no one saw it coming.” Steve leaned back against the wall he was resting on, closing his eyes and rubbing a hand roughly through his hair. 

“I should have been with her.” Tony’s words were choked, forced, and Steve knew he was doing everything he could to put up a front.

“You can’t be with her twenty-four-seven, and she wasn’t alone. I was right there with her.” 

Tony let out a sigh, “I know I can’t, but it still hurts. Thanks for being there with her Cap. I’ll be there in less than twenty minutes, but keep me updated in the meantime, alright? I’ll go ahead and give May a call and have Happy pick her up.” 

“Of course, Tony. Fly safe.” With that, Steve ended the phone call and headed back into Penny’s hospital room. 

Bucky and Sam were the only ones still there, leaning against the back all like the were when he left, like they were frozen in time. “Did they take her back to run some tests?” 

“Yeah, took her to do an MRI or brain scan or something as soon as you left.” Bucky said, his head hunched down and his arms crossed. Sam reached over and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

“She’s going to be okay, man, she’s in good hands.” 

“But she was doing so well.” 

“She still is, this is just a minor set back, and even if it isn’t we’ll still deal with it just like we always do.” Sam said, fierce in his resolve and leaving no room for argument. 

“Sam’s right, she’s going to be just fine.” 

The three men decided to wait for Tony to arrive, knowing that he would come right down to Penny’s hospital room, and no doubt panic when he found it empty. It didn’t take long before the door swung open, the disheveled me running in. 

“Where is she?” Tony was panting, having run all the way from the hanger bay, his hair windswept and sweatpants rumpled. 

“She’s back with Cho. They’re running some tests now to see what caused the seizure.” Steve said, grabbing the man by his shoulders and bringing him in for a hug. “She’s going to be okay.” He rubbed his friends back, letting him rest his head on his shoulder and catch his breath. “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah.” Tony said, but made no attempt at moving. Steve held him for as long as he needed, standing in the middle of the hospital room without a care of what was going on for the time being. 

“How about we go see how she’s doing, she knows it with Cho, alright?” Steve gave a quick nod to Sam and Bucky, promising to keep them well informed, before leading Tony back through the medbay. They stopped by the MRI room, and found Penny already inside with Cho. The doctor glanced up when Steve gently knocked on the door, and waved them in. 

“See Penny? I told you your dad would be in soon.” She gestured for Tony to come up to his daughters side, and he did so without complaint. He took her left hand tightly into his own, and brought it up to his lips. Penny still didn’t look very coherent, her eyes wandering around aimlessly, not looking like she was taking anything in. Tony looked at Cho in concern. 

“Is this normal?” 

“Yes, confusion or trouble focusing is very common in the aftermath of having a seizure. The recovery process varies for each patient, but we need to look out for sudden trouble breathing, or possibly absent seizures. She is doing very well all things considered, but the seizure did seem to cause some pain in her right side. Nothing was torn or damaged further, but she’s going to need to take it very easy the next few days.” Cho Walked out of the main room and into the observation area to look at the scans they just got finished taking. Tony leaned down close to Penny, and tried to catch her wandering gaze. 

“You’re going to be okay, baby. It’s going to be alright, nothing to worry about.” He knew that she probably couldn’t understand him right now, but he was willing to try in the off chance that she did. “Penny? You with me kiddo?” She let out a soft grunt before going lax completely, seeming to have fallen asleep. “That’s alright, Pen; you need as much sleep as you can get. You just rest for now, and let me take care of everything, alright?”

She was going to be fine, Tony was going to make sure of it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so first off I am so sorry that I haven’t updated in like forever and that’s my fault. I lost inspiration for this story for awhile there and just had no idea where to go. 
> 
> This chapters kinda short but I like how it came out so, sorry about that. 
> 
> Also please comment what you would like to see because I’m kinda stuck lol I have no idea where I’m going. 
> 
> I also really didn’t expect the kinda of feedback that I got! It’s amazing so thanks for that. 
> 
> So here you go. Happy reading!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and let me know what you would like to see!

Penny listened with fleeting attention as Dr. Cho went over the results of her brain scan, pointing at different ‘problem areas’ with her pen that Penny had a hard time following. 

“The cause of the seizure seems to be from damage to the brain, neurons getting disrupted and signals getting misfired.” The doctor pointed to a slightly darker patch on the scan, but at this point Penny wasn’t really listening. He closed her eyes and sucked in as big of a breath as she could. 

She was still recovering. 

She was mostly just tired now, which was nothing new; a step up from the confusion and nausea she was feeling the last couple of days. She could barely stay awake for longer than a few hours, and when she was conscious, she couldn’t do anything but lie in the bed she’s been in for what seemed like eternity. 

A gentle hand landed on the girl's shoulder, and she didn’t even need to open her eyes to know who it was. She leaned into the touch, causing the man above her to smirk. Tony bent down so he was eye to eye with Penny, crossing his arms over her bed as he crouched. 

“How are you doing Penny?” He asked, and the girl couldn’t help but groan, turning away from him in frustration. Tony’s brows turned down in confusion, a signal finger trailing up to turn the teens head back towards him. He stood straighter when he noticed the tears that were starting to fill Penny’s eyes. “Hey, Hey, hey; what’s wrong?” He wiped a tear with the pad of his thumb, and that only made the girl cry harder. May and Helen had stopped talking at this point, turning their full attention to the young hero. May walked up to her nieces side and snaked a carful arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. 

“Baby, you don’t have to cry; you’re alright. I know this is scary but—“ May tried to comfort, but Penny wasn’t hearing it, shaking her head and trying to stop the tears. 

“You— don’t understand!” Penny said almost angrily, wiping at her face with her left hand and pulling away slightly from her aunt. 

“Then make us understand, Penny.” Tony said, giving a nod to May and Helen that he had this, that it was better not to crowd her right now, and they both reluctantly left; May giving Penny's hand a squeeze before she wandered out behind Helen. Tony took that opportunity to really study the girl before him, and he almost didn’t recognize the girl he thought of as a daughter, and it wasn’t because half her face was still wrapped tightly in bandages, or the blearing missing appendage—

It was because of the look she was giving him, or lack thereof. 

Her eyes were as dull as the hair that she kept pulled back in a messy bun, lacking the vibrancy they once held. She had lost considerable weight, the once fitting sweat suit falling loosely off her body. She looked pale, bone deep tired, and just done with everything, and Tony didn’t like it one bit. 

“Make us understand what you’re feeling Penny. That’s the only way we’re going to know what to do, baby.” Tony reached out a hand and tuned the girls chin back towards him, forcing her to meet his eye. 

“I don’t want you to do anything—” Penny whispered as if she was ashamed of what she just said—“I don’t want you to have to bring me my meals or help me to the bathroom. I don’t want you to feel obligated to be here with me everyday, Tony! You have a—a life outside of this hospital room still, I don’t anymore!” Penny screamed, her face flush with misguided anger. She expected the man to take a step back, but instead he moved forward, putting a hand on either side of her head and looking her dead in the eye with the most trusting, yet stern glare she had ever gotten. 

“Are you listening to me?— because what I’m about to say is really important, sweetheart,” Tony waited for her to gather herself for a moment before continuing, lowering his voice until it was almost a whisper. “Recovery isn’t a straight line, okay? It’s one step forward and two steps back most of the time, but those are still steps, Pen. It doesn't matter which way you're going as long as you're moving; as long as you're trying— and you are Penny. You’re trying so hard, and I’m so proud of you.” 

Tony wiped away a tear as it trailed down the girls face, continuing as if it never happened. “I know this seems like a major set back, but it’s not. This was just your body telling you that it wasn’t ready to take that next step yet. One of the most important parts of recovery is listening to what your body is telling you, you won’t get anywhere if you don’t. Do you understand?” 

Penny stared up at her mentor and realized that he wasn't the same man she knew five years ago. He was still Tony, but he was so patient and kind, filled with soft words and hugs without a inch of hesitation. Becoming a father had really changed him, or at least unlocked something that laid dormant inside of him the entire time. 

Because the more Penny thought back on it, the more she noticed the similarities between the Tony that she knew, and the Tony that was standing before her now, wiping away her tears and saying all the right words. 

The way he would throw a blanket over her when she’d fall asleep in the lab, or made sure she had a snack after school, or had money for lunch. How he was always so obsessed about the protocols in her suit. 

The love was always there, seeping through a well built facade in it's own special way, blending so well into their routine that neither of them noticed what it truly was. 

Until now.

“I understand.” Because she did, in ways that she couldn’t really put into words.

Tony smiled, gathering his girl into a hug before letting her go. He walked across the large hospital room and pulled a foldable wheelchair out of the supplies closet in the corner. He turned back to Penny, grinning at the look she was giving him. 

“Now about that whole ‘not having a life outside of this room’ thing, how about we rectify that, huh?” He stopped the chair right by her bed and gave Penny a moment to let his words sink in. 

“Are you serious?” She asked, already trying to sit up. Tony huffed out a laugh and walked over to help her, supporting her back as she sat up in the bed. He helped swing her legs over the side and placed a hand on her knee, bending down into a crouch so they were eye level.

“Let’s sit here for just a second, kiddo. This is the first time you’ve sat up in awhile and I don’t want you to get dizzy.” 

“I’m okay, Mr. Stark.” Penny said automatically, eyeing the chair with a look of absolute excitement. She looked back at her mentor, smiling a real genuine smile for the first time in what felt like forever, making Tony realize that he should have done this much sooner. Sure she was recovering from life threatening injuries, but he couldn’t expect her to willingly sit in the same room for a month and not get a little stir crazy. 

“How about we go for a little walk? Maybe go up to the roof and get some fresh air, well, as fresh as NewYork air can get, that is.” Tony huffed, supporting Penny’s weight as she slowly got to her feet. He let her stand there for a moment before slowly lowering her into the chair, adjusting her legs into the foot rests and rolling her IV pole so it was at her left side. “You ready?” Tony asked, waiting for the girl to nod before putting one hand on her chair and the other on the IV pole. They slowly made their way towards the entry to the room, the door swinging open automatically thanks to Friday, and headed straight into the elevator that was waiting for them. Tony backed into the elevator so they were facing the right way, keeping an eye on Penny to make sure she wasn’t showing any signs of distress. The man leaned down slightly so he could see her face, and he couldn’t help but grin at the wide smile that Penny was displaying. Her eyes were bright for what seemed like the first time in months, and the bags that laid permanently beneath them didn’t seem so prominent anymore. 

And all it room was a signal trip up to the roof, a boring mundane act to most, but it was everything to the girl he was pushing before him. Tony watched her face as they got closer and closer to the roof's edge, stopping just before her feet hit the wall coming around to the front so he could kneel before her. The wind held no bite in it for once, gently wafting through their clothes and washing over them. Penny accepted it in stride, closing her eyes and sucking in the largest breath she could, holding it like she wanted to tuck it away inside her forever before releasing it. Tony was kneeling right in front of her, his knees cracking painfully but he didn’t mind. He wiped the girls tears once again when they started to leak from the corner of her eye. Penny all but launched herself from her chair, wrapping her arm tightly around her mentor's shoulders and burning her face deep into his collar bone, almost knocking the older man back with the force of her embrace. 

“Thank you Mr. Stark.” She said, and Tony couldn’t help the breathy laugh that escaped him. 

“You called me dad earlier. Let’s stick with that, alright? I liked it a lot.” He pulled back just enough to kiss her forehead before pulling her gently down into his lap, resting back against the wall behind them. 

“Okay.” Penny said, curling up into her dad's lap and deciding that there was no place she rather be. 

“Okay.” 

——

It didn’t take long at all for Penny to fall asleep tucked up in her father’s arms, her IV bag swinging in the wind beside the pair, Tony running an absent hand through her hair. He should probably get her back down to the medbay before Helen started wondering where her critically hurt patient went, or for May to go on a rampage looking for the girl in his arms, but he didn’t want the moment to end. If he closed his eyes he could almost imagine that everything was normal and as it should be. 

They’d spent all day in the lab, eyes burning and brains running on fumes and decided to get some fresh air before they both short circuited. 

Tony would bring Penny up onto the roof, knowing that she felt most at ease amongst the clouds, like nothing could touch her if she stayed above all the bad she fought so hard to protect each and every day. 

Penny would collapse back against the ledge with a breathy laugh, pulling him down with her with the sole purpose of getting to cuddle up against his side. 

‘I forgot my jacket Mr. Stark, you don’t want me to freeze do you?’ She would say, hiding behind those Bambi eyes that could take him down with a look, not that he would ever complain. 

He would laugh and scoop her up, give her a squeeze that would surely hurt any normal fifteen year old, and count his blessing for the first time in years, thanking whatever was listening for putting Penny Parker in his life. 

That’s how tonight would have gone if Tony Stark lived in a perfect world. 

And if he sat there for the next twenty minutes with tears streaming down his face and a gaze turned upwards, then nobody had to know except him and whatever laid beyond the clouds.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Richard and Mary Parker died, May and Ben became Penny’s new normal, jumping into parenthood without an ounce of hesitation, putting their own lives on hold in order to be whatever their niece needed them to be.
> 
> When she was bitten by a radioactive spider at the age of thirteen, Spider-Woman became her new normal. Jumping from buildings, stopping muggings and grand-theft-bicycles became her average Tuesday night, and she learned how to balance being a superhero and an average school nerd without much trouble.
> 
> When her Uncle Ben died in her arms on a random street corner in Queens, Penny learned that life was truly fragile, and that no matter how hard you tried, it could be ripped from your hands with one single act of violence. Her life changed again.
> 
> But still, she adapted, and after months of knowing nothing but grief and pain, she learned how to live a new life without him in it.
> 
> Penny was used to change, she could adapt to any situation with time, learning from a young age to never get too comfortable with something in fear of it going away, but no matter how hard she tried, she didn’t think she could ever get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! So, I’m so sorry about the long wait but I finally got the next chapter done and somewhat presentable. 
> 
> I hope you like it! 💜💜

Penny was laying in her hospital bed, staring up at the sealing while she waited for the early morning light to fully rise past her window. Something undisclosed woke her up, snapping her awake with enough clarity to not even attempt to fall back asleep. It was Sunday, meaning the one day out of the week that each of the tower's residents slept in, pushing their schedules back a few hours and giving their bodies a little extra time to rejuvenate. 

Penny on the other hand was wide awake, running a hand slowly over her dawn blanket and blinking in the early morning light. She didn’t mind the peace and quiet, the calm before a fleet of doctors rushed in to take blood samples and run tests, fluffing her pillows every five minutes and demanding her attention at every turn. She took those first few minutes to just breathe and take a moment for herself, closing her eyes and pretending she wasn’t confided to the four walls of her hospital room, but instead swinging past the many skyscrapers that pierced her city’s skyline, feeling the wind through her hair and burn in her arms and she swung herself forward. For in that moment, with her eyes squeezed shut, she wasn’t missing her arm, her eye worked the way it was designed to and her body didn’t ache with every breath, she could jump out of bed and slap on her mask and go back to the one thing she missed the most. 

But that wasn’t reality, and that early morning fantasy was shattered with the opening of her door, fading away like the dream it was and thrusting her back into the real world. She stole a glance out her window, noticing that the sun was only marginally higher then it was the last time she checked before finally turning to her unwanted visitor. 

She was expecting to find a nurse, coming in for a before the clock exam, or maybe even one of the Avengers unable to turn off their internal alarm clocks, but instead she came face to face with a little head of hair just barely peeking through the door frame. Penny froze for a moment, trying to think as to why a little kid was trying to sneak into her hospital room when it hit her. 

This was Tony and Pepper's daughter Morgan.

Her Pseudo-sister, who she is now just meeting for the first time. 

Tony had mentioned her a few times, lighting up with a fond smile that she only recognized because she had come face to face with it as well. 

Penny waited for the little girl to make a move, either gain a burst of confidence and push the door open or decided to abort her mission of trying to sneak in. The young hero couldn’t help but smile, deciding to make the decision for her. 

“Hello?” Penny called out softly, her voice calm and light as to not scare her off. It took a moment for Morgan to push the door open, but she did so with the curiosity only a child could possess, her head cocked to the side and hair frizzy and out of place from sleep. 

Morgan walked up to the foot of her bed, her head the only thing visible as she introduced herself. 

“Hi! I’m Morgan and daddy told me that you were my big sister.” Morgan said with a smile, her arms landing on the bed frame so she could hoist herself up on to her tip toes. 

“Hi Morgan, I’m Penny, and it’s really nice to meet you. What are you doing up so early?” Penny asked, raising her bed so she was inclined and not resting flat on her back. She shifted over some and gestured for Morgan to come sit beside her. Penny watched as the girl climbed over the bed frame and hesitantly crawled up next to her. 

“Are you sure I can sit up here with you? Daddy said that you were hurt and that you had to stay down here so you could get better.” Penny nodded, telling her that it was absolutely okay that she sat beside her. “I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep so I asked Friday who was awake and she said that you were the only other person up, so I decided to come down and keep you company.” Morgan smiled, and Penny couldn’t help but laugh. 

“That was very nice of you Morgan, I was in dire need of some company.” Penny shifted some so she could sit with her left leg tucked up to her chest, her right laying flat and refusing to bend like it should. She rested her cheek on her knee and faced her little sister, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear and tickling her chin a little to get her to smile. Morgan giggled before bringing a hand up to Penny's hair and gently patting it into place, being mindful of the bandages and possessing more restraint then any six year old should. 

“Do you want to go up stairs and have breakfast with me? I’m allowed to make Cereal by myself without an adult as long as Friday is watching me.” Morgan said, absentmindedly running a hand through the older girl's hair. 

“I would love to have breakfast with you Morgan, but I’m not sure if I’m allowed to leave my hospital room.” Penny said, a regretful smile on her face. She was just about to tell Morgan to go on ahead without her when Friday spoke up from above, starting the pair. 

“I see no protocols in my database that prohibits you from leaving your room Ms. Parker, but I do advise that you use a wheelchair if you plan on getting out of bed.” The A.I said causing Morgan to cheer at the prospect of spending time with her new big sister. 

“Well that settles it I guess, can you grab that wheelchair over there please?” Penny asked Morgan, gesturing with a finger to the chair that sat in the corner of the room. The girl jumped up immediately, running over to the chair and carefully wheeling it over to Penny’s bedside. The hero swung her legs over the side and stood as slowly as she could, waiting for her body to adjust to the vertical shift before collapsing down into the chair. 

Morgan came around to the front for a second, bouncing on her feet and grabbing on to Penny’s left arm. “Do you want me to push you? Daddy said that I’m really strong and I’m sure that I can do it. 

Penny herself was wondering how she was going to successfully push with one hand when she’s never really used a wheelchair before, so she agreed to allow Morgan to help her. She watched as the little Stark got behind her, turning just enough to see that her head only went to her shoulders sitting down. 

Penny couldn’t help it, she bursted out laughing, putting a hand to her mouth to try and stifle her amusement but it was no use. Morgan poked her head around and grinned. 

“I can do this! You just have to tell me where to go, okay?” Morgan got back into place and started pushing the wheelchair across the hospital room, Friday helpfully opening the door so they could cross the threshold without problem. 

“Go straight to the elevator Morgs’.” Penny said, lifting her leg and grinning when she went a little too far and bumped the feet rest into the wall. Penny laughed again causing Morgan to pop around with a guilty smile. 

“Oops, sorry. Did I hurt you?” Penny smiled and placed her hand on the girl's still wild bed head, leaning forward so she could kiss her cheek. 

“Nope, I’m stronger than I look, just like you.” 

It was slow going to get to the kitchen three floors above them, Penny having to rely on her spidey-sense for the first time in months in order to catch a vase when Morgan got a little too excited and rammed them into a side table, but they made it. Morgan gave one final push to get Penny situated at the kitchen table before running around the chair and throwing her arms up in celebration. 

“We made it! I told you I could do it.” She threw her arms around Penny in a tight but gentle hug, balancing on her tiptoes so she could reach the older girls shoulders. 

“I had no doubt in my mind that you could do it, thank you for your help Morgan.” Penny whispered in her ear before releasing her. “Now, what are we having for breakfast?” 

“I usually have Cheerios, but we also have Frosted Flakes and cinnamon Toast Crunch. Do you like any of those?” Morgan said as she opened one of the lower cabinets, reaching in and pulling out the three boxes of cereal. She put each box in front of the hero before grabbing a pair of plastic kids bowls and two spoons. She made one final trip to the fridge for the milk before taking the empty seat next to Penny’s chair. 

“I’ll have the Frosted Flakes I think.” Penny said, reaching for the box but Morgan stopped her before she grabbed it. 

“No, I’ve got it. I said I was going to make you breakfast.” She said, opening the box and pouring some into Penny’s bowl, losing her grip and tipping the box a little too far causing the bowl to overflow. “Oops.” Morgan laughed, about to scoop the extra cereal back into the box but Penny stopped her. 

“It’s okay, I’ll just eat the extra plain. I don’t think one bowl of cereal is going to be enough for me anyway.” Penny popped a handful of dry cereal into her mouth, laughing at the shocked look on Morgan’s face. 

“This isn’t going to be enough cereal?” She gestured to the bowl, acting like a four course meal came out of the cardboard box instead of cereal, but she couldn’t expect a six year old to understand her high metabolism 

“How much cereal does uncle Steve usually have in the morning?” Penny said instead, still picking up small handfuls of the breakfast staple. 

“Oh he has a special bowl for cereal.” Morgan said, jumping off her chair and running over to the cabins. Penny watched as she pulled one of the drawers out but instead of bowls like Penny expected, a set of child stairs folded out, because of course Tony installed a set of stairs into his kitchen cabinets. Morgan reached into one of the higher cabinets and took out a humongous sized bowl, carrying it under her arm as she ran back to the table. 

“This is Steve’s cereal bowl?” Penny squeaked, throwing her head back and laughing at the sheer size of it. It was bigger than her head. Morgan giggled, just about to pour what seemed like half the box into the bowl when Rhodey walked in, smiling when he saw his nieces. 

“What are you guys doing up so early, huh?” The older man asked, taking a seat next to Morgan, tickling her side when she leaned into him for a hug. 

“I was just about to make Penny breakfast, uncle Rhodey!” Morgan squealed, almost knocking over the bowl of dry cereal in her excitement. Both superheroes reached for the bowl at the same time, just able to grab the rim before it crashed to the floor. Penny watched as Rhodey placed the bowl at the far end of the table well out of the reach of any stray elbows. 

“Well that was very nice of your Morguna, but I think I have a better idea. How would you guys like to go out for breakfast, spend some time with your uncle?” Rhodey asked, laughing at Morgan’s automatic yes before turning to Penny. 

“Am I allowed to?” The girl asked, hesitation clear on her features. 

“I don’t see why not. I know a really nice cafe that doesn't get much for traffic at this time of day so we shouldn’t have any problems, and it’ll do you some good to get out of the tower for a bit.” Rhodey stood up, pushing his chair in and making his way to the back of Penny’s wheelchair. He slowly pushed the girl from out beneath the table and turned her so she was facing the elevators. “We can even go in our pajamas if we really wanted to, that’s how quiet and relaxed this place is. What do you say?” Rhodey asked like he had to convince Penny to go, but in truth the girl was sold the minute he offered to take her out. 

“Let’s do it, thanks Mr. Rhodey.” Penny smiled, a true genuine grin smoothing over her face at the prospect of getting out of the tower. 

“Of course, Pen, and that’s uncle Rhodey to you, alright?” The Colonel leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to the top of the girls hair, doing the same to Morgan before standing straight once more. 

“Okay Uncle Rhodey.” Penny smiled, feeling her cheeks heat up just slightly at the title. 

Rhodey grinned, pushing Penny out into the hallway and towards the elevators, addressing the buildings AI as he went. “Friday, go ahead and tell Tones that I’ve kidnapped his children for the morning, and tell Happy to bring the car around, would you?”

“Of course Colonel Rhodes.” Friday said before going silent once more, no doubt relaying the message to its recipients. 

“You girls ready?” The man asked, making sure he had his phone and wallet before they left the common floor. 

“Yes!” Morgan cheered, “mommy never lets me go out in my pajamas.” Penny laughed, taking in the girls plain pink sweatpants and unicorn t-shirt that could easily pass as exercise clothes. Penny was in similar attire, sporting her own gray joggers and NASA sweatshirt. 

“Then it will be our little secret all right? Only the fun uncles let you go out in your pajamas.” Rhodey said as Morgan bounded into the open elevator, rocking on the balls of her feet. 

Happy was already waiting for the group when they got off at the garage, sporting a rare grin and scooping Morgan up onto his hip as soon as he could get his hands on her. 

“You got room for one more?” The bodyguard asked, opening the back door to a plain black car and helping Penny get situated. Happy reached over the teens body and snapped her seatbelt into place, giving it a gentle tug to make sure it was fitted correctly. 

Penny smiled, grinning up at the man when he smiled at her. “We always have room for you Happy.” The man's smile softened, and he found himself reaching over and tucking a loose strand of hair from the teens eyes. 

“Let’s get this show on the road then, huh?” 

Everyone polled into the car, Rhodey strapping Morgan into her car seat despite her obvious displeasure. 

“I thought you said you were the cool uncle, uncle Rhodey?” Morgan wines causing Penny to laugh. She was sitting on Penny’s right side, meaning the teen couldn’t reach beside her and tickle her like she wanted. 

“And all the cool uncles make sure their nieces are safe, right Hap? Your dad would kill us if he found out you weren’t in a car seat, and then we wouldn’t be able to go on cool trips anymore. We don’t want that right?” Rhodey said, twisting slightly so he could see Morgan’s expression. Morgan shook her head quickly, kicking her feet back and forth in excitement. Happy pulled out of the garage with practiced ease, clicking on the radio and rolling down windows as he made his way through the early morning traffic. It was just going on seven o’clock in the morning, meaning they were hitting the morning rush hour head on, but no one seemed to mind. Penny had a feeling this trip was more about the journey then it was the destination. 

The young hero soaked in the sunlight that beamed in through her open window, leaning her head against the door and staring up at the clear blue sky. 

She’d missed being outside. This was nothing compared to web slinging, but if the last few months have taught her anything, it is to take what you can get. 

“You alright there Penny?” Rhodey asked, Penny’s head lifting slightly at the concern that laced his voice. She was confused for a second, before she felt a single drop of water fall down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly, not even noticing she was crying. 

“I’m perfect, Uncle Rhodey. I’m just happy.” For the first time in months, she was crying tears of joy instead of anguish. She smiled at her sudo uncle, and let her injuries slip from her mind. She forgot about her missing arm, and messed up eye. She didn’t think about the bandages covering her face or entire right side and just let herself live for the first time in months—years really. 

Penny glanced over at Morgan, smiling at the girl as she kicked her feet back and forth in excitement, and decided that today was going to be a good day. 

——

Tony woke up little before eight in the morning, sitting up and wondering how he was able to sleep so close to his alarm. Usually the little miss was waking him up at the crack of dawn, demanding pancakes and cartoons from her sleep deprived father. The mechanic swung his legs over the edge of his bed and stretched.

“Is Morgan still sleeping Friday?” Tony stayed seated at the edge of his bed, waiting for his ever present AI to answer. 

“That She is not Boss. Rhodey told me to tell you that he took both Morgan and Penny out for breakfast and will be back later in the morning.” Tony froze at that, jumping out of bed and grabbing his phone in one swift motion. He knew that Rhodey was more than capable in protecting his kids, but Penny has barely even left her hospital room in the last couple of months, let alone the tower. The thought of not knowing exactly where his kids were scared the hero more than he cared to admit, and he found himself dialing his best friend’s number subconsciously. 

—

On the other side of Manhattan at a little family owned cafe, Penny was having one of the best meals of her life, Surrounded by her family and laughing until tears streamed down her face. 

She laughed as Morgan flooded her small stack of pancakes in syrup, the sticker breakfast staple leaking over the edges of her plate and on to the pressed table cloth below. Penny just shook her head in amusement, taking an extra spoon and scooping up some of the extra syrup for her own pancakes. 

Morgan laughed, helping scoop the overflow onto Penny’s plate, grinning when a drop spilt and landed on her leg. 

“I can’t take you anywhere can I?” Happy said, reaching across the table with a damp napkin, cleaning up the mess in record time. Both girls looked at him with wide guilty grins. 

Unbeknownst to the group, Rhodey was FaceTiming the whole thing to a very worried father, who only relaxed once he saw his kids grins and carefree expressions. 

For that singular moment, everything was right. His family was laughing and enjoying the time they got to spend together, and Tony wouldn’t change it for the world. 

He hung up the phone with his own grin, trusting in his friends to keep his children laughing in his place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I love reading comments so pop one down below if you liked this chapter! 
> 
> Thanks!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. Comment down below if you have any questions about this new series, or if you have any questions on how it’s going to work! 
> 
> 💜💜💜


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